Casing elevator



June 24 G'. KRELL CASING ELEVATOR Filed Nov. 16 1922 INVENTOR.

I m n zen of Germany,

'lfatente d June 24, 1924.

' OFFICE.

GEORGE KRELL, .OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

GASIN G ELEVATOR.

Application filed November 16. 1922. Serial No. 801,278.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen KRELL, a citiresiding at Kansas City, in thecounty of Jackson and State of Missouri, U. S.. A., have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Casing Elevators; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to casing elevators, that is, to an elevatorhaving a lowering or raising well casing. One of the objects of theinvention is to provide a novel form of elevator having means forgripping the well casing in such a manner as to avoid liability ofcrushing the end or collar portion of the casing, and it is also theobject of the invention to facilitate the application of the elevator toand removal from the casmg.

It has generally been the practice to raise and lower oil well'casingsby ring shaped structures called elevators which surround the casing orpipe, and which are of such diameter that the offset internally threadedportions or collars at the ends of the pipe which make the union, restupon the elevator so that they carry the entire weight. When such amethod is employed, I find that the strain on the collar sometimes is soter- I rific due to the weight of the suspended casing that the collarbecomes-crushed and as a result the oil well casing is released from theelevator, resulting in the loss of the casing.

I have found that the casing can be releasably gripped below the collar,that is, the body portion of the casing section can be gripped bygripping jaws carried by the elevator, and that this manner of attachingthe elevator to the casing affords a better means of suspending it,because the casing between the collars is not susceptible to crushingstrains or adapted to be collapsed as easily as the collar is. I have,therefore, provided a novel means for gripping the oil well casingbetween the ends, and my invention conslsts in certain novel arts andarrangements of parts, all of whic will be specifically referred tohereinafter, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawcross sectionalview of the casing-engaging aws.

The elevator is illustrated as having a ring-shaped casing 1 providedwith a center bore 2, the wall of which is conical as at 3. The wall isor shouldered portion 4 on which rides a rotating jaw-actuating cam ring5. The ring is shown as provided with three cams, 6, 7 and 8, andextending outwardly from the ring is a rigid arm 9 which projectsthrough a segmental slot- 10 in the casing 1. The arm 9 carries apivoted lever 11,. which is adapted to be controlled by the operator tomove the ring about its axis on the shouldered portion 4. Within thering 5 is a plurality of segmental wedge-shaped, casing-engaging jaws.In the present instance, I have shown three jaws designated 12, 13 and14. The number of jaw's correspond to the number of cams on the ringv 5.Each j awis wedge-shaped in longitudinal section and onthe face of eachjaw are teeth or serrations 15 which are adapted to impinge against orgrip the casing 16. On each jaw is shown a radial outstanding T-headprojection 17, there being one for each jaw, and the respective headsride in the vertical T- shaped grooves 18, 19 and 20.

The floors of the grooves conform for angularity to the cone-shapedwalls of the bore 2, therefore, when the T-heads 17 ride up in thegrooves, the jaws will be moved regularly to increase the diameter ofthe opening between them. When they ride down in the grooves the jawswill be moved toward the center of the opening or into the casinggripping position. By reference to Fig. 3

it will be observed that the angles of the floors of the groovescorrespond to the angles of the wall 3 so that the inclined walls 21 ofthe jaws will at all times bear against the wall 3 of the casing.

provided with an offset The under sides of the T-headed projection 1rest; upon the upper edges of the cams 6. 7 and 8, so that when thecamring is turned in one direction the jaws will be raised. When thecam-ring is turned in the opposite direction, the jaws will gravitateslightly. The top of the ring 1 is provided with a covering plate 22which may be fastened' thereto by suitable fastening devices, as forexample bolts 23. The ring or casing 1 is provided with oppositelydisposed trunnions 24 and 2 5, havlng on their en s trunnions areoppositely disposed lugs 28 and 29. The trunnions are adapted to passthrough links 30 and 31, which may be suspended from suitablesupportings as for example the hook 32. When the parts are in position,the cam ring 5 can be rotated so as to raise the jaws to increase thediameter of the opening between them sufliciently to allow the elevatorto be passed over the collar 33 of the casing sectlon 16. When'it is inapproximately the same position shown in Figsl and 3, the ring 5 will berotating in the opposite direction so that the jaws 12, 13 and 14 willmove into the casing-gripping position. assuming positions asillustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The casing may now be elevated orlowered. If lowered, the lugs 28 and 29 may rest upon the casing head tosupport the casing within the well while another section is beingscrewed into collar 33. When the new section is attached to collar 33,the latches will be swung in positions to permit the links 30 and 31-to'be moved off the trunnions 24 and 25: When the new casing'section isscrewed into collar 33, another elevator willbe applied to it and thelinks will support the trunnions of that elevator. .Then when the casingis to be lowered, the previously applied elevator which is now servingas a sp1 er to support thecasing suspended in the well will be loosenedso that the casing can pass down between its jaws until the topmostcasing hasbeen introduced into the well with its collar projecting abovethe casing-head, then the jaws of the elevator which is being suppivotedlatches 26 and 27. Below the 1'. A casin elevator comprising a housing,a rotata le cam ring in the housing, vertically and radially movablejaws in the housing cooperatingl with the ring, an means for moving t ering to actuate the jaws.

2. A casing elevator comprising a housing, a rotatable ring inthehousing having upstanding cams, casing-engaging jaws in the housing,means on the jaws for engagement with the cams when the ring is rotatedfor causing the jaws to rise, and means on the housing for impartinglateral movement to the jaws as they are raised.

'3. A casing elevator comprising a housing havin a conical bore, ashoulder in the bore provi ing a seat, a rotatable cam ring on the seathaving upstanding cams, segmental jaws within the bore having headedportions engaging grooves in the housing, the jaws having portionsresting upon the cams of the cam ring, and means for actuating the camring to impart movement to the jaws.

4. A casing elevator comprising a ringshaped housing having a conicalbore, jaws in the bore, wedge-shaped in cross section, a cam ring forimpartlng movement to the jaws longitudinally of the bore, and means onthe jaws for guiding engagement with the casing.

5. A casing elevator comprising a ring having a cone shaped bore, jawsin the bore and a cam ring carried by the casing for imparting movementto said jaws longitudinally of the bore.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE KRELL.

